Wooden Wonders

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February 24, 2017

Walsh Woodworking Grows from Hobby to Full-Fledged Business Venture

Article Michelle Talsma Everson

Nine years ago, Chandler couple Kelly and Kris Walsh began a small, hobby-like woodworking business together. Their first project was a toy box for their eldest child; Kelly thought of the concept and Kris brought it to life.

“As the years went on, Kris’ skills in woodworking improved, and we began to make key pieces of furniture, including our consoles and farmhouse tables,” says Kelly Walsh. “We’ve technically been in business about nine years, but about a year ago, Walsh Woodworking became our family’s sole source of income.”

A former in-home daycare owner, Walsh says that many factors contributed to the family’s leap of faith when it came to deciding to be full-time, independent business owners. Before this venture, Kris worked as a district manager for a local company.

“Business was booming and I felt like I had run my course with the daycare,” Walsh says. “We had our third—and last—child, and I wanted to have more dedicated time with him. We decided to take the best chance we could, do it together, and be our own bosses.”

So far, the bet they made has paid off, as Walsh Woodworking has quickly become a favorite among locals looking for custom wooden furniture and decorative pieces.

“We have no stock; everything is 100-percent custom and made when it’s ordered,” Walsh explains. “The only place we advertise is Facebook; I’d say that 90-percent of our business comes from referrals.”

Walsh attributes their growing customer base to the fact that “my husband is a type A perfectionist,” she says with a laugh. “We try to be the kind of company that we’d hire; we’ll turn down jobs if we don’t think we can do a satisfactory job.”

Walsh notes that some of their most popular products include console tables, dining tables, farmhouse-style tables and floating shelves. The company’s wood walls—which come in a variety of color options and include labor, materials and installation—are also growing in popularity. They do everything from custom signs with inspirational sayings to built-in desks and custom entry pieces.

Just like when they built their first toy chest, Kris still handles the building while Walsh does much of the design work. And, while being small business owners has its challenges, Walsh says that they wouldn’t change a thing.

“We get to be our own bosses and be in charge of our own schedule. For example, today [the day of the interview] I was at a field trip for my kids, but if we need to build all weekend to catch up on orders, we can do that too,” she says.

Looking to the future, Walsh says that they plan to continue to grow their business organically and will introduce apparel and merchandise soon to build brand awareness. In addition to woodworking, their ultimate goal is to attain the licensing and bonding needed to flip homes.